I was shocked that the Herald-Times advocated for one-party rule in Monroe County after the Republican ex-chairman missed the deadline to place two more Republicans on the ballot.

City elections and county elections are very different. The GOP's failure to field candidates this year should be balanced against the 2010 elections. Republicans filled most of the ballot, and the only real failure was not having a candidate in County Council District 1. It is no surprise that no one wanted to challenge sitting judges or the always-dominant Judy Sharp.

Republicans dominated Richland and Van Buren township elections, won back a seat on the Monroe County Council and won back the Recorder's office. The most Republican areas of Monroe County have now joined the rest of the county in the new Ninth District.

The Herald-Times' call for one-party rule with policy differences decided by factions of the Democratic Party is without merit. Even with intra-party disagreements, there are enough differences between the two parties that a dissenting voice needs to exist.

Finally, conflict between the parties during the general election generates interest in local news. The Herald-Times is disregarding its own economic interest in the pursuit of a partisan pipe dream.